Welcome section members and friends to the March issue of our section newsletter. The winter has been long and difficult but as spring offers hope of new energy and new life we move ahead in our efforts to enhance health and safety of children in out of home settings.

As the AAP joins Mrs Obama in the White House Obesity Initiative, there is interest in child care as a setting to develop best practices.

Unfortunately SIDS is still a risk for infants, but the cause and prevention continue to make news and we can reduce the risk!

Check out how texting can reach young mothers (Text4Baby Initiative) and lastly check out where your state stands in relation to key policy choices that affect the well-being of young children. Be an ADVOCATE in your state!!!

Best-Practice Guidelines for Physical Activity at Child Care Some evidence suggests that organized child care may not adequately support children’s physical activity needs. Although many organizations provide recommendations, guidelines, or standards for motor skill development and physical activity opportunities, no set of guidelines exist that directly target the overall physical activity environment at child care. Because of the lack of comprehensive recommendations, the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care best practice guidelines for healthy weight development were created on the basis of an extensive review of existing guidelines, research evidence, and expert review. The purpose of this article was to present these physical activity best-practice guidelines and provide data on how these guidelines compare to current practice in a large sample (N = 96) of child care centers in North Carolina.

Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies and Practices in Family Child Care Homes Family child care homes (FCCHs) are the second-largest provider of nonrelative care in the US. However, despite providing care for nearly 1.9 million children aged <5 years, little is known about the nutrition and physical activity practices of FCCHs. To address this gap, this study aimed to describe policies and practices related to nutrition and physical activity in a representative sample of FCCHs.

What Works? A Study of Effective Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Programs Early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) is emerging as an effective strategy for addressing challenging behaviors and supporting young children’s social/emotional development in early education and child care settings. This report summarizes the findings from a study by the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development to address critical knowledge gaps in the field and provide data-driven guidance around consultation program design. The study offers key recommendations for policymakers/funders, ECMHC providers, early care and education program administrators, and researchers/evaluators.

Brainstem Serotonergic Deficiency in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that the brains of infants who die of SIDS produce low levels of serotonin. The researchers theorize that this newly discovered serotonin abnormality may reduce infants' capacity to respond to breathing challenges, such as low oxygen levels or high levels of carbon dioxide. These high levels may result from re-breathing exhaled carbon dioxide that accumulates in bedding while sleeping face down.

Household Routines and Obesity in US Preschool-Aged Children The purpose of this study was to determine the association between the prevalence of obesity in preschool-aged children and exposure to 3 household routines: regularly eating the evening meal as a family, obtaining adequate sleep, and limiting screen-viewing time. Results showed that US preschool-aged children exposed to the 3 household routines had an approximate 40% lower prevalence of obesity than those exposed to none of these routines. Authors conclude that these household routines may be promising targets for obesity-prevention efforts in early childhood.

Preschools Add Brush-and-Spit to Day
Massachusetts is the first state to add toothbrush time to the color-nap-snack-and-play routine of preschools, requiring that all children who eat a meal at child care, or attend for more than 4 hours, brush their teeth during class and be educated about oral health.

The new AAP Reducing the Risk of SIDS in Child Care online module was developed for child care providers. However, pediatricians can also participate in this FREE course to make sure they are up-to-date with the AAP recommendations around safe sleep. Pediatricians can also encourage parents, grandparents, relatives, child care providers, and other health care professionals to take this FREE course.

Medical Home Video
The focus of Child Health Day 2009 was "Every Child Deserves a Medical Home." To recognize Child Health Day, the AAP National Center for Medical Home Implementation produced a video compilation featuring children, families, and providers across the country who illustrate the value and importance of a medical home for all children and youth. You can view the video and other resources from Child Health Day, including coloring sheets and flyers, on the National Center's Web site.

White House Obesity Initiative On February 9, 2010, President Barack Obama signed a memorandum on childhood obesity. The AAP has joined the White House, the US Department of Health and Human Services, the US Department of Education, and the US Department of Agriculture in “Let’s Move”, a new initiative to reduce rates of overweight and obesity in our nation's children. Please visit the AAP's obesity initiatives Web site for information on how you can partner with families and communities to support children in healthy active living.

Text4baby Text4baby is an unprecedented mobile health public-private partnership designed to promote maternal and child health among underserved women. Text4baby – the first-ever free mobile health service in the United States—provides timely and expert health information through SMS text messages to pregnant women and new moms through their babies’ first year.

By texting BABY to 511411 (or BEBE for Spanish), women receive three free SMS text messages each week timed to their due date or baby’s date of birth. These messages focus on a variety of topics critical to maternal and child health, including birth defects prevention, immunization, nutrition, seasonal flu, mental health, oral health and safe sleep. Text4baby messages also connect women to prenatal and infant care services and other resources. The AAP is one of the organizational partners in this effort. The Bright Futures initiative at the AAP and section member Laura Jana, MD, FAAP, are assisting with the development of messages.

What Works? A Series on Effective Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation The Georgetown University’s Center for Child and Human Development is holding a series of 8 Webinars describing effective models, strategies, and practices for designing, delivering, and evaluating early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) services. Based on a 2009 study of 6 early childhood
mental health consultation programs with positive outcomes, these Webinars intend to move the field of early childhood mental health consultation forward by:

In each seminar, speakers will provide information on the points listed above, identify appropriate tools and resources, and respond to participant comments and questions. Space is limited and is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are unable to participate in the series, each Webinar will be archived online following each Webinar and will be available to the field.

CLASP Launches New Web site for Babies in Child Care The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) has a new Web resource for the Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care project. New pages for each of the project's 15 recommendations feature tabs that contain research to support recommendations, research bibliographies, policy ideas, and other resources. CLASP is also developing online tools to help states chart their progress in improving infant/toddler care.

Updated State Early Childhood Profiles
The Improving the Odds for Young Children project recently updated its state profiles of key policy choices that affect the well-being and school readiness of young children birth to 5 years.
These policies fall into 3 categories: health and nutrition, early care and learning, and parenting and economic supports. Use these state profiles for a quick yet comprehensive overview of a state’s efforts to promote healthy development and school readiness.

QRIS National Learning Network
A network of national organizations have come together to form the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) National Learning Network to assist states that are using quality rating and improvement systems to raise the quality of early care and education. The group recently launched a new Web site that includes a collection of reports, state-by-state resources and contacts to facilitate exchange of information and ideas, as well as a list of organizations that can provide more intensive technical assistance.

Are you looking to become more involved in early education and child care? If so, we have an opportunity for you! We are looking for an AAP Chapter Child Care Contact (CCCC) in the following states:

Delaware

Florida

Missouri

Puerto Rico

Utah

West Virginia

If you or someone you know is interested in this position, please see the CCCC job description and/or E-mail Stephanie Nelson at snelson@aap.org. If you are not located in the above states yet are still interested in becoming more active, contact your CCCC for ideas.

Save the Date! NCE 2010 – CCCC Meeting
Mark your calendars to attend the AAP National Conference and Exhibition (NCE) October 2-5, 2010 in San Francisco, CA. If you would like to see more information about the NCE, click here.

Currently the 2nd phase of the Healthy Futures: Improving Health Outcomes for Young Children project is under development. This involves the development of a curriculum on infectious diseases in child care. The infectious disease curriculum is expected to launch at the 2010 NCE. The CCCCs are invited to attend a training/discussion on the new curriculum and grant program to support the implementation of the curriculum. The training is tentatively set for Sunday, October 3, 2010 from 9:00am-11:30am. If you are interested in more information, please E-mail Stephanie Nelson at snelson@aap.org.

The RGK Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that provide services in the areas of Community, Education and Medicine/Health. Specific areas of focus include: children and family services, early childhood development, parenting education, after-school educational enrichment programs, promotion of the health and well-being of children, and programs that promote access to health services.